Hey,
I've just had a final straw experience, with yet another person asking about
the 'Ubuntu Server' CD, assuming it's functionally different from 'Ubuntu'
in general (it is not - the server CD just has a different selection of
packages on it, and does a minimal install by default).
We made a number of messaging choices early on in Ubuntu's life, mostly on
purpose, that have pretty strongly painted us into the 'desktop' corner. The
'Ubuntu Server' CD is another effort to address the misunderstandings that
this messaging has resulted in, but it creates some complications of its
own. The most obvious one - even without a separate project brand name such
as 'serverbuntu' or something like that - is that people already see 'Ubuntu
Server' as quite a different beast...
Something I've heard a few times now: "Oh man, I just installed a my server
with the Ubuntu CD, and you guys just released a server version, now I'll
have to install that!"
So, I tend to think we need to strongly link 'Ubuntu' and its applicability
as a server so this kind of confusion doesn't set in. Here's my suggestion:
We should always list the server CD as a 'flavour' of the official Ubuntu CD
set, much like the LiveCD. For example:
* Ubuntu 5.10
- Desktop Installation CD -> a complete desktop environment with all the
applications you'd expect... and more! Includes a full office suite,
web browser, email and groupware client and even a few simple games.
- Desktop Live CD -> a 'live' demonstration version of the Ubuntu desktop
that you can safely run on your computer without changing your existing
operating system. A great way to show off Ubuntu to your friends!
- Server Installation CD -> built specifically for server administrators,
this modified CD installs a minimal Ubuntu server system and includes
installable packages for many popular Open Source server tools such as
Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.
That way, hopefully, our users don't think it's a totally new thing!
Thanks,
- Jeff
--
UbuntuBelowZero in Montreal! http://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuBelowZero
"This is the new dividing line in public life. It is not a question of
Left versus Right, but a struggle between insiders and outsiders." -
Mark Latham